#192
Joanna Newsom - Ys (Drag City, 2006)
I'll be the first to admit, it took me a long time to come around to this album's charms, but I'm glad I gave the chance to win me over. There are plenty of reasons to be wary of what Ms. Newsom was offering on this album - an average running time of just over eleven minutes for the album's five songs, the elfin Renaissance Faire cover art, her distinct voice and accompanying squeaks. But it would be a shame if these kept people from discovering the album's true charms - lovely vocal melodies, beautiful harp, striking lyrical imagery, and lush orchestral arrangements by one Van Dyke Parks. For a lot of people the album's centerpiece and high point is the epic 17-minute "Only Skin" which features some of the best orchestral flourishes on the album and the striking backing vocals of Bill Callahan (Smog), but I keep finding myself returning to one of the album's simplest pieces, "Sawdust & Diamonds". As moving as Parks' arrangements can be, there is a stunning beauty in just hearing Newsom string her playful melodies through the harp strings without distraction. This album is definitely not for everyone, but will more than likely become essential to those that fall under its spell.
No comments:
Post a Comment